Competitive Behavior Research Articles

Systematic Evaluation of Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Antifungal Microorganism Screening.

Microorganisms have significant potential to control fungal contamination in various foods. However, the identification of strains that exhibit robust antifungal activity poses challenges due to highly context-dependent responses. Therefore, to fully exploit the potential of isolates as antifungal agents, it is crucial to systematically evaluate them in a variety of biotic and abiotic contexts. Here, we present an adaptable and scalable method using a robotic platform to study the properties of 1022 isolates obtained from maple sap. We tested the antifungal activity of isolates alone or in pairs on M17 + lactose (LM17), plate count agar (PCA), and sucrose-allantoin (SALN) culture media against Kluyveromyces lactis, Candida boidinii, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microorganisms exhibited less often antifungal activity on SALN and PCA than LM17, suggesting that the latter is a better screening medium. We also analyzed the results of ecological interactions between pairs. Isolates that showed consistent competitive behaviors were more likely to show antifungal activity than expected by chance. However, co-culture rarely improved antifungal activity. In fact, an interaction-mediated suppression of activity was more prevalent in our dataset. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating both biotic and abiotic factors into systematic screening designs for the bioprospection of microorganisms with environmentally robust antifungal activity.

Exploring impact of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance – moderators’ variability under changing market conditions

AbstractPrevious research has indicated that the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on performance is ambiguous. This relationship can be affected by numerous factors – both internal and external. This study aims to examine the moderating impact of inter-organizational cooperation, competitive behaviors, digitalization, diversification, and flexibility on the relationship between EO and performance; it also assesses the impact of market conditions on the relationships that were examined above. The sample was comprised of 150 small printing companies, and the moderating roles were analyzed with PLS-SEM. The results confirmed the strong positive impact of EO on firm performance under both non-crisis and crisis conditions. The results indicated that, under crisis conditions, the impact of EO on market performance is positively moderated by inter-organizational cooperation, digitalization, and diversification. However, these factors do not moderate the examined relationship under non-crisis conditions – they only become moderators during a crisis. When supported with the Welch-Satterthwait statistical test, these observations indicated the moderating role of market conditions on the other factors that were examined in this study. With its findings, this study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship and crisis management. The originality of the study is two-fold: first, this study examines the moderating impact of several factors that have not been previously tested on the EO–performance relationship; and second, it compares the examined models (and the entrepreneurial behaviors that are reflected in these models) and tests the moderating roles of the examined factors under two different market conditions (non-crisis, and crisis). In this way, the study tests the moderating role of market conditions as it relates to the examined moderators.

The Impact of Customer Relationship Management on Sustainable Competitive Advantage Mediator Brand Citizenship Behavior: An Analytical Study in a Sample of Iraqi Banks

The research aims to study the impact of customer relationship management on sustainable competitive advantage through brand Citizenship Behavior in a sample of Iraqi banks. The main problem of the research is summarized in the following questions: "have bank leaderships been able to employ customer relationship management in achieving sustainable competitive advantage? And have they been able to maximize this impact through the mediating role of brand Citizenship Behavior?" The comprehensive survey method was used to collect data, given the importance of the banking sector, both government and private banks in Baghdad were chosen as the focus of this study. Commercial and Islamic banks were considered for examination, and the researcher conducted field visits to six banks, including Rafidain Bank, Trade Bank of Iraq, Alnahrain Islamic Bank, Al Taif Islamic Bank, Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank, National Bank of Iraq. The research sample comprised 212 employees from these banks. Data analysis and hypothesis testing were conducted using appropriate statistical tools with the help of (SPSS and AMOS) software. The results revealed a significant impact of customer relationship management on sustainable competitive advantage through the mediating role of brand Citizenship Behavior.

Competitive sequestration behavior and mechanism of Cd2+, Pb2+and Ni2+ ions from single, binary and ternary metal laden solution by Hevea brasiliensis wood sawdust (HBS)

HeveaBrasiliensis wood sawdust (HBS), a lignocellulosic material, was employed for the eradication of Cd(II), Pb(II), and Ni(II) from synthetic single and multi-metalsystem. In the realm of multimetal adsorption, HBS exhibited the most substantial adsorption capacities for heavy metals, in the order: Pb(II) > Cd(II) > Ni(II). Experiments involving batch process were carried out to explore the rolesofpH, contact duration, HBS quantity, and preliminary metal concentrations on the adsorption capacity. Optimal conditions for biosorption of metal ions were determined as pH 5.0, dosage of 7 gL−1, and an equilibrium time of 90 min. The pseudo-second-order kinetics andLangmuirisotherm had a favorable alignment with the biosorption of all individual metal ions. Adsorption capacity was 8.45, 13.01 and 6.04 mg g− 1 for Cd, Pb and Ni respectively in single metal system. In binary and ternary system the capacity and adsorption percentages decreases significantly due the presence of competitive metal ions. HBS demonstrated effectiveness in treating real wastewater containing Cd2+, Pb2+and Ni2+ ionsin both single and mixed metal solutions, highlighting the necessity of thoroughly considering the impact of competitive adsorption. SEM with EDS results indicated single metal fixing in a multi-ion solution followed complex mechanisms. The surface area and functional group studies were conducted utilizing BET and a FTIR Spectrometer. Electrostatic attraction and complexation mechanisms were identified as responsible factor for capturing metal ions to the active surfaces of the bio sorbent. Cost analysis reflected the adsorbent cost was $0.021 per liter of mixed contaminated ternary effluent (30 mg L−1).

Development of an algorithm to detect feed bunk replacement events in growing cattle from feeding event data acquired by an electronic feed intake measurement system

Visual observations of competitive feeding behavior in cattle have been associated with animal productivity, health, and social hierarchy. However, human visual observations are time consuming, limiting the number of animals that can be evaluated. The objective of this study was to develop and assess an algorithm to detect disruptive feed bunk replacement events using feeding event data acquired from the Vytelle SENSE feed intake measurement system. Crossbred beef steers (N = 20) fed a grower diet were housed in one of two pens each equipped with three electronic feed bunks and a video recorder. A trained video observer recorded all feed bunk replacement events (when an actor animal displaced a reactor animal from the feed bunk and occupied the same feed bunk within a specified time interval, termed as the replacement criterion) and other agonistic activities at the feed bunk during a 4-d period. The Vytelle SENSE feed intake measurement system recorded the start and end timestamps of individual bunk visit (BV) events of animals. An algorithm was developed to determine replacement events based on the start and end times of consecutive BV events. Using video observation as the gold standard, the recall, precision, and F-score of the algorithm was calculated corresponding to time intervals from 1 to 60 s. The optimum replacement criterion was determined to be ≤ 18 s and ≤ 22 s for pens 1 and 2 respectively. The recall, precision, and F-score of the algorithm using these replacement criterions were high (> 0.75). A competition index was computed for each steer, calculated as the number of actor-initiated events divided by the number of actor and reactor events at the feed bunk. Spearman’s rank correlations (rs) between total visually observed agonistic interactions at the feed bunk and the replacement events detected from the electronic feeding event data using the algorithm and replacement criterion of the respective pen was determined. There were strong correlations (rs ≥ 0.71; P < 0.05) between the observed and electronic values for the number of actor and reactor events, and the competition index. These results demonstrate the potential to quantify disruptive feed bunk replacement events in confined beef cattle using electronically collected feeding event data from the Vytelle SENSE feed intake measurement system.

Competitive adsorption behavior of As(V) and Sb(V) on Hematite: Facet and pH dependent coordination affinity and role of outer-sphere complexes

The environmental mobility and fate of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) are influenced by ubiquitous iron minerals, but little is known about whether their co-adsorption behavior is affected by the exposed facets. Herein, we used cubic and rod-shaped hematite nanocrystals (HNC and HNR) to investigate the effect of exposed facets on competitive adsorption behaviors. TEM analysis indicated that the primary exposed facets of HNC and HNR were {110} and {012}, separately. Calculations supported the predictions of our model, revealing that the competition in acidic and alkaline environments was mainly influenced by the affinity and bond stability of facet-related adsorption configurations. However, the competition in neutral conditions was jointly influenced by facet-related coordination and adsorption behavior, due to the dependence of Sb(V) on protonation sites. On HNR (pH = 3), the adsorption of Sb(V) (50.6 %) was approximately twice that of As(V) (27.8 %) for its significant advantage in bidentate coordination on the {110} facet, whereas on HNC, As(V) (65.9 %) and Sb(V) (69.3 %) exhibited similar competitiveness. Notably, As(V) and Sb(V) tend to be adsorbed through outer-sphere coordination under alkaline conditions. On the {012} facet, As(V) and Sb(V) exhibited similar competitiveness for outer-sphere sites, whereas on the {110} facet, As(V) outer-sphere coordination showed stronger affinity, giving it an edge in competing on HNR. Overall, this study elucidated the critical role of varying exposed facets in the competitive adsorption process and proposed novel strategies for the selective removal of coexisting As(V) and Sb(V) through tailored fixed-facet iron oxides.

Do Competition, Size, and Macro Variables Impact Bank Risk?

The paper investigates the correlation between bank competition, performance, and risk-taking behavior in MENA economies. Furthermore, it explores the risk level associated with dual banking as well as the bidirectional connectedness of competition and jeopardy in terms of size, GDP, and inflation rate. This work employs Generalised Method Moments (GMM) for regression findings and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) for robustness tests. It uses an unbalanced panel dataset from 256 banks and 14 MENA countries from the year 2011 to 2022. According to the study’s findings, financial stability improves, and bank risk-taking decreases with less bank competition. The findings of this investigation corroborate the competition fragility theory. The competition square concept suggests that in a market with competition, risk will eventually rise. In terms of economic progression, risk-taking behavior is exactly the reverse of bank competition. Again, the finding shows that good performance reduces the bank’s risk, finally turning to greater financial stability. Furthermore, there is a substantial association between inflation rates and the extent of banks’ risk-taking activity. In a competitive market scenario, MENA countries inflation rate risk-taking behavior initially increases and then declines over time, while bank size exhibits a similar trend in the near term. When the inflation rate rises, banks’ risk-taking behavior initially decreases and then rises over time. This research will provide policymakers in MENA nations with a better grasp of how to establish strategies that benefit the banking environment.

Modulation of Thermodynamic Properties of Doped GaAs Quantum Dot under the Influence of Noise

In the present enquiry, an in‐depth analysis of internal energy, entropy, heat capacity, and Helmholtz free energy of GaAs quantum dot (QD) which contains Gaussian impurity as dopant and falls under the influence of applied Gaussian white noise (GWHN) is performed. GWHN takes additive and multiplicative routes for its entrance to the doped QD. In this study, highly delicate and complex interplay between temperature, presence/absence of GWHN, mode of incorporation of GWHN, and the particular physical parameters concerned is unveiled. The said interplay, in effect, designs the features of the thermal properties. The enquiry uncovers competitive behavior between thermal disorder and spatial disorder that also affects the said thermodynamic properties.

Wave of mutilation: Scavenging hermit crabs use social information to locate carcasses

AbstractCarcasses are patchily distributed and often short‐lived resources, placing scavenging animals under pressure to locate them before they rot or are depleted by competitors. Scavengers may search for carcasses directly, or indirectly, using social information. Aggregations of feeding animals and their conspicuous competitive behaviour may be more readily detectable to searching scavengers than the carcass itself. Moreover, the actions of attendant scavengers upon the carcass, breaking it apart and releasing odour or chemical cues, may further enhance its detectability to others foraging nearby. Here we test this idea. In the first of two experiments performed in the field, we found that hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus) were attracted to shelled mussels (Mytilus edulis) that other hermit crabs were already feeding on. They showed no strong tendency to approach aggregations of conspecifics in the absence of food, nor conspecifics that were confined close to mussels but prevented from feeding on them. We speculated that through breaking up the carcass, the feeding hermit crabs released chemical cues and drifting particles of mussel tissue that further attracted other hermit crabs. We tested this in a second experiment, finding that finely chopped mussels attracted significantly more hermit crabs than did intact mussels. We suggest that scavenger feeding action upon carcasses makes these more detectable to others by releasing odour and particle plumes, a form of inadvertently produced social information.

Don’t leave your kid unattended? Sex differences in children’s competitiveness in presence of their guardian

In the growing literature connecting parents-child economic decision-making, it remains unclear whether children’s competitive performance is affected by their guardian’s presence. We conducted a field experiment in which over 150 children were assigned to one of three tasks (i.e., trivia, a speed stacking game, or jumping a rope) and then chose to compete. Simultaneously, we elicited the guardians’ beliefs about their child’s willingness to compete in the three tasks and their expected performance. We employed a randomized encouragement design, asking guardians to remain close and support their child during the task or to remain distant. We find a positive correlation between the guardians’ presence and better performance in the speed stacking game (but not in the other tasks). Mothers’ beliefs about competitive behavior and performance across tasks are more correlated than fathers’ beliefs. Mixed-sex pairs (i.e., girls with a male guardian and boys with a female guardian) are more likely to compete than same-sex pairs.

Competitive Binding of Methylene Blue to Calf Thymus DNA and Carrageenan: Implications for Sensor Development

Carrageenans are sulfated polysaccharides widely used in the food industry due to their excellent thickening, stabilising, and gelling properties. Objective: This study delves into two key aspects: 1) the binding interaction between the cationic dye methylene blue (MB) and carrageenan compared to other polyanions (alginate, starch, and Arabic gum), and 2) the competitive binding behavior of carrageenan and DNA for MB. Methods: Spectroscopy methods were employed to determine the total amount of carrageenan by utilising MB, which creates complexes with carrageenan. The investigation into the competitive binding between polysaccharides and double-stranded DNA modified with screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) (dsDNA/SPE) for methylene blue (MB) involved the addition of varying quantities of polysaccharide to a solution containing 100 µM MB after a 5-minute accumulation period. Subsequently, cyclic voltammograms were directly recorded to analyse the interactions. Results: Strong electrostatic binding between MB and carrageenan was confirmed using various techniques, including UV-vis, fluorescence, and cyclic voltammetry. Moreover, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was more sensitive than Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, detecting carrageenans in a linear range from 0.5-15 ppm, 2-15 ppm, with correlation coefficients 0.998, 0.997, respectively. Notably, the preference for binding increased with increasing sulfate content, following the order kappa &gt; iota &gt; lambda carrageenan, highlighting the crucial role of sulfate groups in complex formation. Additionally, carrageenan exhibited the strongest competitive binding towards MB at low concentrations compared to other tested polyanions, implying its effectiveness in hindering MB-DNA interactions. Conclusions: These findings pave the way for exciting developments in DNA biosensors. The sensitive colorimetric assay holds promise for the rapid and selective determination of carrageenan levels in food products. Moreover, the competitive binding between carrageenan and MB can be harnessed in DNA biosensors by monitoring changes in MB binding due to specific DNA sequences.

Competition vs cooperation: An agent based model for sustainable tomatoes’ import system

Food systems are dominated by multiple risks inflicted by their surrounding environments that pose pressures on the continuous and efficient supply of food products. Market dynamics represented by competitive and cooperative behaviors of the system's main players is one of the uncertainties that influence the availability and affordability of food products. Efficient modeling of these risks can assist decision-makers in simulating and predicting future actions that mitigate the impact that market dynamics have on the provision of food products. This paper suggests an Agent-based model-based framework that simulates the behavior and tracks the economic and environmental performances of the tomato supply system in the State of Qatar. It considers three different scenarios representing the current situation of the market in addition to a competitive and a cooperative trade network. Interactions between trade partners are modeled using two game theoretic approaches counting Cournot competition and Cartel collusion. Based on the research findings, a competitive global market can bring economic benefits to Qatar as an importing nation, but this approach also entails substantial water consumption and results in significant environmental emissions. Conversely, collaboration among exporting countries demonstrates a potential 20% reduction in water usage and a 15% decrease in environmental emissions compared to the competitive scenario, offering enhanced environmental performance albeit at higher economic costs. This study provides a prescriptive analysis that enables policymakers to quantify the trade-offs between economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. These insights are crucial for guiding strategic planning for food supply security and environmental conservation. By understanding the implications of market structure changes, policymakers can navigate potential challenges more effectively and develop targeted policy interventions that enhance the resilience of the food supply system against market volatility and environmental impacts. This analysis supports proactive policy-shaping that aligns with their desired outcomes, ensuring a balanced approach to managing economic benefits and environmental considerations.

Phase-field simulation study on dendritic growth behavior during bilateral directional solidification

The directional solidification technique can uniform the crystal growth direction within the material, but does not remove the lateral side branches of the axial main arm during the growth process. The influence of such lateral side branches existing in the directionally solidified dendritic organisation on the mechanical properties of the material cannot be neglected. In this paper, based on the Kim-Kim-Suzuki (KKS) phase-field model, the competitive behaviour of lateral secondary dendrites between the two main arms under different boundary conditions and non-synchronous growth conditions is investigated for Fe-0.5 %C alloys. In addition, the diffusion and enrichment rules of solutes are analysed by the distribution of solutes. The results show that the molten pool is spherical without external force, and the size distribution of the molten pool is as follows: dendrite tip collision zone > dendrite root > dendrite wall, and the solute segregation rule is the same; The spacing of the main arms has little effect on the concentration values between the dendrites, and the solutes are very symmetrically over the entire computational region; The dendrite tip interface concentration during the stable phase of dendrite growth is 0.89 %. Without considering the initial liquid-phase concentration, the concentration in the collision zone at the dendrite tip is approximately twice the concentration at the tip of the dendrite in the stable period, which is 1.28 %, when the bilateral dendrites are encountered. Dendrites always collide preferentially on the centreline of the included angle under non-parallel conditions, and solute-enriched zones also occur on the centreline of the included angle; During the curved surface bilaterally directional solidification process, when the left and right sides have the same shape of surfaces, the solute enrichment at the end of solidification is on the centreline. For the case of a single planar boundary, the solute-enriched region is influenced by the curved surface and is similar to the initial curved surface profile.

Temporal mode switching during polariton condensation

Multimode behavior plays a key role in a wide range of nonlinear optical phenomena. Multiple exciton-polariton modes can attain macroscopic population as observed in time-integrated measurements. Recent theory work has shown that, rather than being simultaneously in many modes, the population may temporally switch between the modes. However, the origin and the dynamics of multimode condensation has not been experimentally addressed. Here, we study the dynamics of exciton-polariton condensation into multiple modes of Gaussian defect microcavities filled with ladder type polymer gain material methyl-substituted ladder-type poly(p-phenylene) MeLPPP. We deploy a second-order cumulant model to simulate the dynamics of the system and find picosecond-timescale switching between condensate modes. By interferometric measurements we reveal the experimental signatures of such mode competition behaviour.

Competitive superconductivity and charge density wave in Mo-doped kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5

In the kagome superconductors AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs), understanding the charge-density-wave (CDW) state and its entanglement with the superconducting ground state is still a challenging issue. Here, by measuring the electrical transport, magnetic susceptibility, Hall effect, and V51 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the evolution of superconductivity (SC) and the CDW is comprehensively studied in Cs(V1−xMox)3Sb5. In contrast with previously reported results for other doped cases, the CDW transition temperature slightly increases to ∼100 K with increasing Mo doping. Meanwhile, the SC is quickly suppressed and vanishes above x=0.02. The anomalous Hall effect (AHE), which is tied to the exotic nature of the CDW state in pristine CsV3Sb5, is also strongly suppressed and completely disappears above x=0.07. Further V51 NMR investigation on the CDW state in Cs(V0.95Mo0.05)3Sb5 indicates that a short-range stripelike CDW evolves from the original triple-Q CDW state with increasing Mo doping, which largely reduces the density of states at the Fermi level. This result provides a self-consistent explanation for the disappearance of both SC and the AHE by increasing Mo doping, which offers insights into the competitive behavior between SC and the CDW state in the kagome superconductors AV3Sb5. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Multiple stressors lead to complex responses in reproductive behaviors in an African cichlid

Abstract Exposure to multiple environmental stressors is a common occurrence that can affect organisms in predictable or unpredictable ways. Hypoxia and turbidity in aquatic environments are 2 stressors that can affect reproductive behaviors by altering energy availability and the visual environment, respectively. Here we examine the relative effects of population and the rearing environment (oxygen concentration and turbidity) on reproductive behaviors. We reared cichlid fish (the Egyptian mouthbrooder, Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor) from 2 populations (a swamp and river) until sexual maturity, in a full factorial design (hypoxic/normoxic × clear/turbid) and then quantified male competitive and courtship behaviors and female preference under their respective rearing conditions. Overall, we found that the rearing environment was more important than population for determining behavior, indicating there were few heritable differences in reproductive behavior between the 2 populations. Unexpectedly, males in the hypoxic rearing treatment performed more competitive and courtship behaviors. Under turbid conditions, males performed fewer competitive and courtship behaviors. We predicted that females would prefer males from their own population. However, under the hypoxic and turbid combination females from both populations preferred males from the other population. Our results suggest that reproductive behaviors are affected by interactions among male traits, female preferences, and environmental conditions.

Unlocking digital performance: exploring the mediating role of employee competitive attitudes, behaviors, and dynamic capabilities in Chinese SMEs under high-involvement human resource management practice

Digital technology has already permeated the production and operations of organizations, with many incorporating it into employee performance evaluations. However, there remains a research gap in identifying effective approaches to achieving digital performance. Furthermore, while scholars have often mentioned the differences in employee attitudes, and employee dynamic capability (EDC) in the dynamic digital market, empirical evidence supporting this notion is scarce. This paper investigates the influence of high-involvement human resource management practices (HI-HRMPs) on employee digital performance (EDP) within Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on specific cultural regions in China. Using purposive sampling, four representative regions (Guangzhou, Shanghai, Guizhou, and Anhui) were selected for Survey. Structural equation modeling (AMOS) was employed to examine the relationships between HI-HRMPs as the independent variable and employee competitive attitudes, employee competitive behaviors, and employee dynamic capabilities as mediating variables, with a focus on their impact on employee digital performance. Contrary to direct effects, the study reveals that HI-HRMPs do not directly influence employee digital performance. Instead, employee competitive attitudes and behaviors, along with their dynamic capabilities, emerge as significant mediating variables in this relationship. Specifically, employee competitive attitudes and behaviors, as well as employee dynamic capabilities, play crucial roles in mediating the relationship between HI-HRMPs and employee digital performance. Furthermore, the findings indicate that employee dynamic capabilities exhibit greater influence on employee digital performance compared to employee competitive attitudes and behaviors, particularly in the context of a rapidly evolving digital marketplace. These results underscore the importance of fostering employee dynamic capabilities within SMEs to enhance digital performance in the ever-changing business landscape.

An Improved Multi-Strategy Crayfish Optimization Algorithm for Solving Numerical Optimization Problems.

The crayfish optimization algorithm (COA), proposed in 2023, is a metaheuristic optimization algorithm that is based on crayfish's summer escape behavior, competitive behavior, and foraging behavior. COA has a good optimization performance, but it still suffers from the problems of slow convergence speed and sensitivity to the local optimum. To solve these problems, an improved multi-strategy crayfish optimization algorithm for solving numerical optimization problems, called IMCOA, is proposed to address the shortcomings of the original crayfish optimization algorithm for each behavioral strategy. Aiming at the imbalance between local exploitation and global exploration in the summer heat avoidance and competition phases, this paper proposes a cave candidacy strategy and a fitness-distance balanced competition strategy, respectively, so that these two behaviors can better coordinate the global and local optimization capabilities and escape from falling into the local optimum prematurely. The directly foraging formula is modified during the foraging phase. The food covariance learning strategy is utilized to enhance the population diversity and improve the convergence accuracy and convergence speed. Finally, the introduction of an optimal non-monopoly search strategy to perturb the optimal solution for updates improves the algorithm's ability to obtain a global best solution. We evaluated the effectiveness of IMCOA using the CEC2017 and CEC2022 test suites and compared it with eight algorithms. Experiments were conducted using different dimensions of CEC2017 and CEC2022 by performing numerical analyses, convergence analyses, stability analyses, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Friedman tests. Experiments on the CEC2017 and CEC2022 test suites show that IMCOA can strike a good balance between exploration and exploitation and outperforms the traditional COA and other optimization algorithms in terms of its convergence speed, optimization accuracy, and ability to avoid premature convergence. Statistical analysis shows that there is a significant difference between the performance of the IMCOA algorithm and other algorithms. Additionally, three engineering design optimization problems confirm the practicality of IMCOA and its potential to solve real-world problems.

Observing the Resilience of Hyacinth Craftsmen Entrepreneurs in the Post Pandemic Era

Abstract The existence of hyacinth on Rawa Pening could destroy the ecosystem. Community who lives around Rawa Pening started to create and make hyacinth crafts. Previously product marketing was executed around Rawa Pening tourism but it has changed during Covid-19 pandemic. People’s mobility was limited therefore if only expecting tourist to come and buy hyacinth craft the sales would decline. This research aimed to understand the resilience of hyacinth craftsmen entrepreneurs in the post pandemic era. This study used a qualitative approach. The units of observation in this study were owners, employees, and consumers. The results of the study revealed that reviving hyacinth craft of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the post-pandemic era required the entrepreneurial behavior in business competition with an attitude of taking risks, being creative, innovative, and hard-working. In addition, MSME businesses can survive in the post-pandemic era by managing online businesses competition. The owner can set prices that can reach all groups, be creative and innovative in making information center such as Linktree create products that maintain natural colors, dare to use digital marketing to provide long-distance services in the form of QRIS payments, and has wide-ranging partners to compete in the globalization era.

Banking competition in Indonesia: does Fintech lending matters?

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how the rise of financial technology (Fintech) lending affects bank competition. Moreover, this study also identifies the structure of Indonesian commercial banking sector and the different behaviour of competition among bank groups (based on their size, type and ownership) and the joint impact of COVID-19 due to the rise of Fintech lending.Design/methodology/approachUsing an unbalanced panel data set of 118 commercial banks in Indonesia over the period 2018–2022, both static panel and 2SLS/IV data analysis were used and found that random effect model is the best model.FindingsThe results show that the Indonesian commercial banking sector can be considered as monopolistic competition. Moreover, using the Lerner index reveals that the entry of the Fintech lenders increases bank competition. Furthermore, there were different responses to the impact of Fintech lending on bank competition among state-owned banks, private banks, regional development banks and foreign banks. Greater efficiency and stability lead to greater market power. In the meantime, higher level of asset growth, capitalisation and cost-to-income ratio increase the competition. Lastly, higher bank credit growth and lower inflation boost overall bank competitiveness.Practical implicationsThis study highlights some policy recommendations for commercial banks to be aware of the coming of Fintech lenders because they have started to increase the market competition. The government should create a more collaborative ecosystem between banks and Fintech lending to anticipate unhealthy competition.Originality/valueThis study will contribute to the literature by expanding the determinants of bank competition by considering the rise of Fintech lending in the market.